Let’s face it: airline lavatories are not the sexiest places. They are small, cramped and smelly – like the rest of the plane, strangely. They are unpleasant places, but they do afford the only privacy you’re going to find. So, it’s a usual favorite for daring couples looking to join the prestigious “mile-high club.” Yes, that club. For those of you not in the know, mile-high club membership entails having sex on a plane.

It’s difficult to join, and the recession has made it harder. Sure, you can get cheaper tickets, which effectively lowers the price of mile-high club admission. However, airlines cut routes over the past two years in an effort to increase revenue per available seat-mile. This means that planes are more crowded, constraining your mile-high club options. More people on the plane translates to an increased likelihood of getting caught. For some, that prevents membership (because the risk of an unusually aware passenger can impede the urge to join), while others may see it as a challenge.

Don’t care about the prospect of being sent back to your seat, but want options aside from the lav? Your choices are listed below:

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1. In-seat romance: how bold are you? Would you have sex in your seat (if you had three for you and your “friend”)? Oral only? This can be done, but I assure you, it isn’t for the shy. You won’t necessarily get caught, but the risk is incredibly high. Just know what you’re getting into.

2. Galley: this can be great for a little pre-lav action, especially if the beverage service is taking place when you dashed back. Get you and your partner in crime out of the line of sight, and stay on the lookout for any passengers interested I hitting the bathroom. I wouldn’t plan to “conclude” in the galley, but it will definitely get your heart pounding before you step behind a closed door.

3. Pay to play: there are services that provide you with a flight specifically to support mile-high club membership (there’s a list here). For a fairly digestible fee, you can get freaky high in the sky … and possibly take home something to remind you of the excursion.

4. Really pay to play: corporate and private jets … that’s the place to do it. You can get to be in charge in more ways than one, and it’s gotta be a total turn-on.

5. Boarding: this is still in-seat, but the dynamic is much different. Do not attempt this unless your flight is relatively empty. Get a seat toward the back of the plane, and STAY ALERT AT ALL TIMES.

Are you headed into Monday solo? If that’s the case, it might make sense to book a quick flight for the most romantic day of the year! Don’t spend Valentine’s Day on your couch despising Cupid for neglecting you. According to the latest from travel search site Skyscanner, “flyrting” may be your key to happiness.

According to Skyscanner, almost half of all passengers have confessed to flirting in flight … and thus making the friendly skies a little friendlier. In a survey of more than a thousand travelers, the company found that a substantial 45 percent make their intentions known, with a third of them resulting in a “rendez-vous” after the plane has landed. Eight percent of flyrtatious encounters have led to relationships!
Skyscanner’s Karin Noble, once a cabin crew member, says, “More and more people are now traveling by air so it’s no surprise that flights have become a place to flirt. After all, you are sitting next to someone for an hour or more, and the fact that you’re both traveling to the same place means you already have something in common.”

Need a little help? Noble continues that there are “lubricating” effects to the in-flight service, adding that “the heightened effect that alcohol can have at altitude and the more relaxed ‘holiday mood’ that many travelers feel, and it tends to give people the courage to flirt with a fellow passenger or even take things further, especially on overseas routes such as flights to France or the UK.”

So, how many people get lucky in flight? A separate Skyscanner survey found that 20 percent of passengers have joined the mile-high club, half of them with strangers they met on a plane. Meanwhile, 95 percent copped to a desire for membership!

Skip the chick flicks this Valentine’s Day, and get yourself an aisle seat instead … you never know where it will lead.

Generally, it’s best to avoid an airline lavatory for any reason. It’s cramped, smelly and generally not a pleasant place to be. If you’re planning to use the lav for something other than its stated purpose, you’re going to need to brace yourself. Unfortunately, it really is the best environment on the plane for joining the mile-high club (for those of you not in the know, that means having sex on a plane).

You could always try to do it in your seat, but you’ll need a fairly empty flight. Also, your options will be limited, even compared to the lav.

Fortunately, there appears to be a better way. If you want to join this unique, exclusive club without risking an angry speech from a safety-focused flight attendant, take a look at the options below. You can attain your newest “status” at a fairly reasonable price in some cases – and have a memory to savor.1. Mile High Atlanta: if you’re not in Atlanta, it’s pretty easy to get there. After all, it is home to the busiest airport in the country. So, catch a flight to this city, and trade your airline seat for a jaunt with Mile High Atlanta. It costs only $379 per couple for an hour-long flight in a Piper Cherokee Six … “designed exclusively for this purpose. And yes, there is a bed.

Good to know: “Our pilot is VERY discreet and all flights are handled with the UTMOST confidentiality.”

2. Exstacy Air: Based in St. Clair County, Michigan, this service will bring you up above the clouds so you can have your moment of bliss. For $375, you and your cohort – unless you’re logging solo hours – will get an hour in the sky, a bottle of champagne and a set of mile-high wings (that you’ll doubtless earn).

Unique feature: You can keep your sheets as a souvenir!

3. Chicago Mile High Club: this service offers “you and your loved one the exclusive use of our 20 passenger airliner so that you can become mile-high club members, with all of the safety and privacy that comes with having a large twin-engine turboprop airliner all to yourselves.” But, this sort of service is pricey: $999 an hour, and you have to make reservations at least a week in advance.

Selling point: The cabin is more than 20 feet long, six feet wide and 5 ½ feet tall. Break out your copy of the Kama Sutra!

4. Mile High Flights: earn your international wings with this UK service, which includes champagne, “stunning views” and whatever other fun you can concoct! Several options are available, with products named “The Big One (£640) and “The VIP” (£930).

Mortgage your orgasm: Flexible payment options are available for those who don’t want to wind up spent right away.

5. The ol’ fashioned way: look both ways, and move casually toward the lavatory, preferably while the flight attendants are working the beverage cart. Step out with your hair askew and a fantastically broad smile on your face.

Multiple benefits: No, not that kind – I’m referring to the fact that this flight will also take you to your destination, rather than cart you around on a “sightseeing” experience. You may also pick up some frequent flier miles.

Remember the Air New Zealand Skycouch? It’s a new seat that’s made the term “cuddle class” pretty popular, as it opens some great opportunities for passenger comfort and mile-high club membership. It’s a pretty exciting development in an industry that tends to invest little in customer comfort. The Skycouch makes it possible to turn three economy seats into something of a bed for two passengers.

For Air New Zealand, it’s pretty important to be at the leading edge when it comes to comfort, according to general manager Ed Sims. He said, “The majority of our long-haul flights are overnight and we fly on average 90 minutes longer than any other airline.”

So, here’s the big question: now that these seats are making it out into the market, would you use it to join the club? Leave a comment below to let us know your thoughts.

A woman got nailed in the early stages of seeking mile-high club membership. The Qantas passenger was flying form Melbourne to Los Angeles at the beginning of last month. The lights went low, and she and the man next to her let their hands go wild under the blanket. The cabin crew caught on and split up the passengers, who apparently never bothered to try the lav.

The best part: the woman works for Qantas. And, she still does. A spokesman said, “The employee has returned to work.”